Don’t be fooled by John Washington’s low official rank—thanks to being the son-in-law of the commander and his own abilities, he’s still managed to make a name for himself and has some say in matters.

William Bolton nodded, knowing that business was the priority. After a brief pause, he reminded, “Benefactor, I suspect the envoy will come with threats and bluster. When the time comes, you only need to rebuke him with righteousness: as a scholar, how can he willingly serve as a lackey for the Yuan court, harming his own people? Such a grave sin—his ancestors would never forgive him!”

John Washington thought for a moment, then nodded firmly. “I understand.” He turned and left with David Scott.

William Bolton also returned to the small courtyard. If his guess was right, battle was imminent, and the Yuan court’s commander was Franklin Reed. This man was a master at water management, but who knew how he’d fare in war… William Bolton was very curious and really wanted to go to the command hall to see for himself how capable the heroes of Haozhou were.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have the qualifications yet, so he could only pin his hopes on old Washington. Hopefully, he’d show his skills and, like Zhuge Liang scolding Wang Lang to death, make Stephen Wood suffer a humiliating defeat!

William Bolton secretly hoped so. At this moment, the command hall was truly solemn and dignified.

From James Harris on down, all the leaders of the Haozhou Red Turbans were present.

James Harris hadn’t taken Haozhou alone; he’d risen up with others like Benjamin Hill, making five marshals in total.

Not long ago, Xuzhou had fallen, its leader Sesame Lee killed in battle, and the generals George Perry and Philip Moore had fled with their remaining troops to Haozhou, seeking refuge with James Harris.

In other words, the small Haozhou now had seven marshals.

At this moment, they were facing Stephen Wood, the envoy sent by Franklin Reed.

“General Harris, and all the esteemed marshals, I won’t say much about the battle in Xuzhou. A hundred thousand troops were wiped out in a month, completely annihilated. The court’s army is strong and unmatched. Why should General Harris fight a hopeless battle? I believe you raised your army for wealth and honor. As long as you submit to the court, not only will you be rewarded, but your subordinates will also be promoted and prosper. There’s no need for endless war and disaster—isn’t that a good thing?”

Stephen Wood smiled modestly, full of confidence.

Indeed, in the early days, the Red Turbans caught the Yuan court off guard, rising everywhere and seizing many cities. But once the Yuan court concentrated its forces and began to counterattack, the Red Turbans’ situation quickly became dire.

It was no surprise. As corrupt as the Yuan court was, it was still a well-organized government from top to bottom. In contrast, the Red Turbans were fragmented and uneven in quality. When faced with the counterattack, even Xuzhou’s Sesame Lee, who commanded a hundred thousand troops, was killed, and the once-mighty Samuel Brooks of Nanyang was defeated.

Even Arthur King was under immense pressure, barely able to look after himself.

At this time, Franklin Reed sent someone to persuade them to surrender—not only hoping the Haozhou Red Turbans would submit, but also to show off his power and shake their morale. After all, the Haozhou Red Turbans were not a monolith; as long as someone wavered, Franklin Reed would be halfway to victory.

This move alone was enough to make one marvel at Franklin Reed’s grasp of human nature, far superior to rough men like James Harris.

At this moment, General Harris’s face was grim as he sneered, “You make it sound nice, but aren’t you just trying to trick us so you can wipe us out in one stroke? Such tricks won’t fool anyone!”

Stephen Wood immediately replied, “Great Marshal, please see clearly—I am from Anfeng, your fellow townsman. How could I harm you? Xuzhou’s Sesame Lee has fallen, Nanyang’s Samuel Brooks has fallen, and even Peter Stone of eastern Zhejiang has been driven into the sea. Emily Perry is also fighting and fleeing, like a stray dog. Now the court is mobilizing troops to wipe out Arthur King—I imagine that will be easy. At this point, to submit is to live, to resist is to die. Will you not wake up, Great Marshal?”

“Hmph! Do you take me for someone who fears death?” James Harris roared in anger.

Stephen Wood smiled, “Of course, you are a hero, Great Marshal. But I grieve for our people—these years, floods and droughts have been constant, the people are destitute, and most homes are empty. Add to that the chaos of war—wherever the army goes, who knows how many will die? I truly ache for our people. With a single thought, you could save countless lives. If you become an official of the court, bring honor to your ancestors, and protect the people, it would be the best for both country and family.”

James Harris’s frown deepened. This Stephen Wood was truly eloquent—was there really no one in the command hall who could match him? He looked around and happened to spot his son-in-law, John Washington.

“Chongba, what do you think of his words?”

John Washington’s face was cold and he said disdainfully, “To answer the Marshal, this man keeps saying he cares for the people, but his very existence is a disgrace to his hometown. How unfortunate to have produced such a thing!”

Stephen Wood’s brows shot up, but he quickly smiled again. “Typical talk from a country bumpkin. I won’t stoop to the level of a rustic.”

You’re uneducated, not worth my time.

John Washington thought to himself, I really wasn’t up to it before, but things are different now—those lessons from the young teacher weren’t for nothing!

“I may be a country bumpkin, but I know what a true scholar is.” John Washington glanced sidelong at Stephen Wood and sneered, “You must know Zheng Sixiao, right?”

Sure enough, when Stephen Wood heard the name, his expression changed slightly, which John Washington immediately noticed.